Email:info@uturnaudio.comWebsite:http://www.uturnaudio.comDecember 20, 2012, Boston, MA – U-Turn Audio, a startup founded by three recent college graduates, announced the launch of the Orbit turntable on the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter.com. The Orbit has been designed to address increased interest in vinyl records among students and young professionals. Starting at $150, The Orbit introduces unprecedented playback quality into the entry-level class of turntables. U-Turn expects this bump in entry-level performance, along with the turntable’s minimalist design, to attract even more young people to the vinyl medium. The Orbit’s Kickstarter campaign reached 25% of its 35-day funding target within its first 24 hours.

The market for vinyl records has grown over 400% over the past 5 years. But vinyl’s evolving consumer base has become increasingly discontent with affordable turntable offerings, which emphasize superfluous features over playback and build quality. “The Orbit foregoes modern-day conveniences like USB output and built-in speakers, but concentrates on quality and longevity,” writes Stephen Mejias of Stereophile Magazine. “This Orbit is a serious turntable.” The fully manual Orbit boasts tonearm and drive system technologies that were previously found only on audiophile offerings, which exceed $300 in price. “I’ve been waiting 5 years for this. $300+ is still too much for anything for us young/lower income folks,” writes Ariel Bitran of Stereophile. “That’s an excellent price point. Bravo.” The Orbit’s Kickstarter campaign, which is live through January 21, offers the standard Orbit as well as hardware upgrades and hand-painted turntables.